1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a slot-in optical disc drive, and more particularly, to a slot-in optical disc drive with an ejection device which can eject an optical disc when the optical disc drive is in a breakdown or in a power failure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Optical disc drives can be divided into tray-type and slot-in-type drives according to how an optical disc is loaded into the optical disc drive. The tray-type optical disc drive loads the optical disc on a tray. When the tray-type optical disc drive fails, triggering a lock apparatus of the tray can eject the tray and the optical disc can be taken off of the tray. On the other hand, the slot-in optical disc drive utilizes a gear unit to drive levers, rollers, or rim bands to eject or insert the optical disc. When the slot-in optical disc drive fails, the optical disc cannot be ejected unless the housing of the optical disc drive is opened. However, opening the delicate slot-in optical disc drive is not easy for users, especially if the slot-in optical disc drive is installed in a car, a computer, or an advanced media apparatus. It may require engineers to open the housing of the slot-in optical disc drive so as to take the optical disc out and cause inconvenience.
To solve inconvenient ejection when the slot-in optical disc drive fails, please refer to FIG. 1 showing the R.O.C. patent application serial number 092108324 (corresponding to U.S. patent publication number 20040202060), titled “DISK FORCE-REJECTION AND FORCE-LOADING DEVICE FOR USE IN AN OPTICAL DISK READING DEVICE.” The ejection device 1 according to the prior art includes a power supply unit for providing electric power to a driving unit to rotate a drive gear 2 installed in front of the ejection device 1. The ejection device 1 further includes a control switch 3 for starting or stopping rotation of the driving unit. Then, the drive gear 2 of the ejection device 1 is inserted into an orientation hole 5 in the front of the slot-in optical disc drive 4 to engage the drive gear 2 with an active gear of a motor of the optical disc drive 4 installed nearby the orientation hole 5. By turning on the control switch 3 to rotate the drive gear 2, the drive gear 2 can drive the active gear of the motor of the optical disc drive 4, so that the optical disc is ejected from an entrance 6 of the optical disc drive 4.
The ejection device 1 can force the optical disc drive to eject the optical disc, but the ejection device 1 is a specific tool utilizing electric power to rotate the drive gear 2 and is not widely available for purchase. Users also do not want to spend the extra cost to buy the ejection device 1 and take the ejection device 1 with them. When the optical disc drive fails, the users cannot find the tool immediately so they will send the optical disc drive back for repair. For engineers, if they do not have the ejection device 1, they will open the housing of the optical disc drive to take the optical disc out. Without the ejection device 1, taking the optical disc out is still inconvenient for the slot-in optical disc drive when the optical disc drive fails.
Moreover, the slot-in optical disc drive according to the prior art drives the optical disc by many gear units, so the difference of the torque between the output of the gear units and the difference of the rotating speed are large. More electric power and time are required for the ejection device to drive the active gear of the motor and the gear of the slot-in optical disc drive. Therefore, the ejection device of the slot-in optical disc drive according to the prior art should be improved.